Rod-charging machine



July 18, 1967 R. J. WELLMAN ROD-CHARGING MACHINE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 18, 1965 //V VE/V TOR ROBERT J. WE L L MAN By )5 M Attorney July 18, 1967 R. .1. WELLMAN ROD -CHARGING MACHINE 2 Sheets-Sheet Filed Feb. 18, 1965 INVENTOR ROBERT J. WELLMA/V y M26 W Attorney United States Patent 3,331,488 ROD-CHARGING MACI HNE Robert J. Wellman, Gary, Ind., assignor to United States Steel Corporation, a corporation of Delaware Filed Feb. 18, 1965, Ser. No. 433,681 Claims. (Cl. 198-127) This invention relates to an improved machine for charging rods to the drum of a rod mill.

Large rod mills for grinding or crushing materials, such as coke, utilize rods which are ponderons and awkward to charge to the drum. In one example the rods are 3 to 5 inches in diameter, 12 /2 feet long and Weigh up to 830 pounds each. According to conventional practice, three men are required to charge rods of this srzeone to push the rod from behind along a roller table and others on each side to guide the rod into the drum and assist in pushing. There is a further problem that a rod may hang in the opening at the near end of the drum if not pushed sharply, or that it may go on through the mill and hang in the opening at the far end if pushed too rapidly. In either event it is difiicult to release a hanging rod and position it properly in the An object of the present invention is to provide an improved machine which enables large size rods to be charged to a rod mill quickly and easily and eliminates the need for manual handling.

A further object is to provide a machine of the foregoing type which automatically controls the rod in a way to prevent it from hanging in the drum openings. A further object is to provide such a machine which is readily portable, yet can be locked accurately in position for charging rods.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of my improved rodcharging machine;

FIGURE 2 is an elevational view of the machine from the other end; and

FIGURE 3 is a side elevational view on a smaller scale showing the relation of my machine to a rod mill when the machine is positioned for charging rods.

My rod-charging machine includes a rigid base structure formed of a pair of spaced-apart transverse beams 10, bars 12 fixed between the ends of the beams, and a pair of spaced-apart longitudinal beams 13 resting on the transverse beams and fixed thereto. The upper faces of the longitudinal beams carry respective aligned pillow blocks 14 offset from the transverse center line in the direction of rod travel, as hereinafter explained. The machine also includes a rigid frame 15 which has a horizontal shaft 16 pivotally received in the two pillow blocks to enable it to tilt on a horizontal axis. I form the frame of a pair of spaced-apart longitudinal angle irons 17 to which shaft 16 is fixed, a pair of transverse channels 18 fixed between opposite ends of the angle irons, a pair of uprights 19 of approximately A shape fixed to the tops of the respective angle irons, and a horizontal plate 20 fixed across the tops of the uprights. As best shown in FIGURE 2, I fix a rung 21 between the longitudinal beams 13, and a rung 22 between the angle irons 17, both at the ends remote from shaft 16. A pair of extension springs 23 connect the two rungs to resist pivotal movement of the frame. A pair of shock-absorbing compression springs 24 also bear between the respective angle irons 17 at the top and beams 13 at the bottom.

The upper faces of angle irons 17 carry pairs of aligned pillow blocks 25. The uprights 19 carry a pair of aligned pillow blocks 27. Spaced-apart front and rear lower pinch rolls 28 and 29 are journaled in pillow blocks 25. An upper pinch roll 30 is journaled in pillow block 27 over the space between the two lower rolls. The outboard "ice chine on a floor 37 in front of a rod mill 38 with the pillow blocks 14 and shaft 16 at the end nearer the mill. The upper face of plate 20 carries eye bolts 39 near two of its opposite corners adapted to be engaged by a crane hook (not shown) for placing or removing the machine. Vertical tubes 40 are fixed between the two bars 12 at each side of machine. I mount vertically slidable bolts 41 in the respective tubes 40, which bolts are engageable with holes 42 in floor 37 to locate the machine in front of the mill. Pairs of plates 43 are fixed between the flanges of the longitudinal beams 13 at each side of the machine. Each pair of plates 43 carries a horizontal tube 44 in which I mount respective horizontally slidable bolts 45. The latter bolts are enga-geable with holes 46 in a structural member 47 in front of the machine to assist in locking the machine in position.

In operation, I use suitable handling equipment (not shown) to carry a rod R to a position in front of my charging machine where the pinch rolls 28, 29 and 30 can engage the rod. I operate motor 33 to drive the pinch rolls and thus propel the rod horizontally toward the rod mill 38. Initially the center of gravity of the rod is in front of the shaft 16, but as the rod moves ahead, the center of gravity passes the pinch rolls and the shaft. As the rod continues to move, it reaches a position in which its weight commences to overcome tension in the extension springs 23, whereupon frame 15 pivots about shaft 16 toward the mill, and the leading end of the rod tilts downwardly. The rod tilts more and more as the leverage increases. I proportion the parts so that the rod commences to tilt after it has started into the drum of the mill. The leading end of the tilted rod is below the opening at the far side of the drum, while the machine moves the rod sharply enough that its trailing end easily clears the opening at the near side. Thus the rod drops accurately into the proper position in the drum. When the pinch rolls release the rod, the compression springs 24 absorb the shock as the extension springs 23 return frame 15 to its upright position.

From the foregoing description, it is seen that my invention affords a simple portable machine for charging rods to the drum of a rod mill and avoiding the need for handling the rods manually. The machine also assures that the rods are positioned accurately in the drum and do not hang in the opening at either end.

While I have shown and described only a single embodiment of my invention, it is apparent that modifications may arise. Therefore, I do not wish to be limited to the disclosure set forth but only by the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A machine for charging rods to a rod mill comprising a rigid base structure, a frame mounted on said base structure to pivot on a horizontal axis, lower and upper pinch rolls journaled in said frame for propelling a rod lengthwise, drive means for said rolls, said axis being offset horizontally from said rolls, and spring means connecting said base structure and said frame on the opposite side of the rolls from said axis, said frame being tiltable about said axis against the force of said spring means when the center of gravity of a rod propelled by said rolls passes over the axis.

2. A machine as defined in claim 1 in which there are two spaced-apart lower pinch rolls and an upper pinch roll over the space between the two lower rolls, and said rolls have circumferential grooves for receiving a cylindrical rod.

3. A machine as defined in-claim 1 in which said 9 spring means includes a pair of extension springs to resist pivotal movement of said frame and a pair of shockabsorbing compression springs.

4. A machine as defined in claim 1 comprising in addition releasable means on said base structure for locating the machine in front of a rod mill and looking it in posi tion, and eye bolts on said frame for lifting the machine when said last-named means are released.

5. A machine for charging rods to a rod mill comprising a rigid base structure, aligned bearings mounted on said base structure offset from the transverse center line'thereof, a frame having a shaft mounted in said bearings for pivotal movement on a horizontal axis, a pair of spaced-apart lower pinch rolls journaled in said frame, an upper pinch roll journaled in said frame over the space between said lower rolls, said rolls having circumferential grooves for receiving and propelling a cylindrical rod lengthwise, drive means mounted on the top of said frame and operatively connected with said lower rolls, said upper roll being an idler, extension springs connected between said base structure and said frame at the end remote from said bearings and shaft, and shock-absorbing compression springs between said base structure and said frame at the end adjacent said extension springs, said frame being tiltable about said axis against the force of said extension springs when the center of gravity of a rod propelled by said rolls' passes over the axis.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 6/1952 Payne 198127 1/1960- Walters 241-171 

1. A MACHINE FOR CHARGING RODS TO A ROD MILL COMPRISING A RIGID BASE STRUCTURE, A FRAME MOUNTED ON SAID BASE STRUCTURE TO PIVOT ON A HORIZONTAL AXIS, LOWER AND UPPER PINCH ROLLS JOURNALED IN SAID FRAME FOR PROPELLING A ROD LENGTHWISE, DRIVE MEANS FOR SAID ROLLS, SAID AXIS BEING OFFSET HORIZONTALLY FROM SAID ROLLS, AND SPRING MEANS CONNECTING SAID BASE STRUCTURE AND SAID FRAME ON THE 